Kuraray announces full-scale development of acrylic TPE business

Kuraray has announced its decision to establish facilities at its Niigata Plant in Tainai City, Niigata Prefecture, that will be capable of producing 5,000 t/a of a newly developed acrylic TPE. The material is called "the New Elastomer" and has been developed utilising the company's proprietary technology. It shows transparency and softness, as well as adhesive properties.

The facility expansion will be completed in August 2011, operations will then start in September 2011. Kuraray says, it has invested approximately JPY 5 billion and is targeting a business scale for „the New Elastomer“ of JPY 6 billion (2015) and JPY 10 billion (2018) in sales.
Kuraray has already commercialised the styrenic elastomer Septon and the TPU Kuramiron. Furthermore, since fiscal 2004, the company has constructed a pilot plant for „the New Elastomer“ and moved forward on achieving market development and manufacturing technologies. Kuraray said that it has received feedback mainly from three application segments; these are adhesives, film and light guide components, and moulding materials.
„The New Elastomer“ is a block copolymer of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate (BA) that combines the transparency and weather resistance of MMA with the elasticity and adhesive qualities of BA.
Initial target fields and main applications

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